School Board 'disappointed' by column; Oct. 1 school closures?

Wednesday

Sep 11, 2013 at 6:27 PM

Speaking on behalf of all Oak Ridge Board of Education members Monday night, BOE Chairman Keys Fillauer expressed “our disappointment” that City Manager Mark Watson had chosen to discuss the school system’s education funding issue in the local newspaper.

Donna Smith/The Oak Ridger

Speaking on behalf of all Oak Ridge Board of Education members Monday night, BOE Chairman Keys Fillauer expressed “our disappointment” that City Manager Mark Watson had chosen to discuss the school system’s education funding issue in the local newspaper.

Fillauer was apparently alluding to an article written to the public — and published in the Monday, Sept. 9, print edition of The Oak Ridger — by Watson titled “‘Sky is NOT Falling!’: City, schools working to resolve education funding issue.”

Speaking to Oak Ridge City Council at the start of its meeting in the Municipal Building, the school board chair added that he is also disappointed the issue hasn’t yet been discussed openly at a City Council meeting.

“I am convinced if this is not resolved by Oct. 1,” Fillauer said, “we will have no other option but to close Oak Ridge schools.”

As first reported by The Oak Ridger, school officials revealed during an Aug. 26 School Board meeting that the system had failed two “Maintenance of Effort” tests administered by the Tennessee Department of Education and — unless corrected — the state will start withholding state funds to the school system beginning in October.

The amount of Basic Education Plan funds the state will begin withholding from Oak Ridge Schools, according to school officials, is $1.87 million a month.

The Maintenance of Effort (MOE) tests ensure that local revenue in school systems’ budgets isn’t lowered. Oak Ridge schools failed both MOE tests and the shortfall of local revenue was $393,918, according to Karen Gagliano, the city schools’ financial officer. After making adjustments in revenues from Anderson and Roane counties to better reflect recent financial information, Oak Ridge schools are left needing an additional $250,000 from the city government for this year’s school budget.

School system officials say the appropriation and changes to the budget document must be approved by both School Board and City Council on two readings — each — by the end of this month.

Fillauer told Council on Monday night that Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers and Gagliano have met to discuss the issue with City Manager Watson and Janice McGinnis, the city’s financial officer, four to five times.

He said to suddenly have a column about the issue written by Watson in the newspaper was a disappointment, adding “the media has become the outlet of discussion.” He said perhaps a joint column by Borchers and Watson would’ve been better.

Watson’s column was on the front page of The Oak Ridger on Monday. Borchers followed up with a column on the front page of the newspaper on Tuesday titled “Maintenance of Effort (MOE) status test for Oak Ridge Schools.”

“We’ve had to learn on the fly how this operates,” City Manager Watson said of he and McGinnis’ meetings with the school officials and the fast timetable for getting the measure approved. The city chief added he would be going over the matter with Oak Ridge City Council as a group.

Mayor Tom Beehan defended Watson, saying the column was timely and needed to be written — and City Council is waiting to be briefed on the issue.

Speaking on Watson’s column, Council member Charlie Hensley said he was “anxious to see why it floored anybody,” since he thought the city manager’s comments were “neutral” and seemed like they were opening a door for the Council and School Board to work together.

When Fillauer attempted to respond, Beehan said he didn’t want the issue to become a “back and forth” at a Council meeting that already promised to be a lengthy one due to its agenda. Beehan and Fillauer indicated they would talk with each other during the meeting’s break.

Donna Smith can be contacted at (865) 220-5502.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.